Three-point shooting lifts CMS past Cal Lu on Senior Night

CLAREMONT, Calif. – With one game left in the regular season, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's basketball team is now currently in a three-way tie atop the conference standings with one game to play, after their 64-54 win over Cal Lutheran on Feb. 21 at the Rains Center. CMS is now 18-6, 11-4 in SCIAC, while Cal Lu dropped to 17-6, 11-4 in SCIAC.

A win in the regular season finale at La Verne would guarantee CMS at least a share of the conference regular season title, depending on how Chapman and Cal Lutheran do in their respective games. Next week's results will also determine the final seedings for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament, which begins on Friday, Feb. 27. Host sites are yet to be determined.

Against Cal Lu Saturday on Senior Night, CMS trailed 30-27 at halftime, but outscored Cal Lu by 13 in the second half to pull away for the win. CMS trailed 43-41 with 12:18 remaining after a bucket by Coltrane Powdrill. CMS then scored three-straight buckets capped off by a dunk by Shelby Lane (CMC) to take the lead back at 47-43. Lane had eight points and seven rebounds in the game.

After Lane's dunk, from that point on, CMS would not trail the rest of the game. CMS was aided in the second half by its hot three-point shooting. The Stags went 8-for-16 from beyond the arc in the second half, including five three-pointers over the course of the final nine minutes.

Guard Tyler Gaffaney (CGU) closed out the game with CMS' final three baskets, all three-pointers. Gaffaney had a game-high 23 points. Five different players had at least one three for CMS in the game. Jason Harrington (CMC)had his second game in a row with three triples and a total of 11 points.

In addition to Gaffaney, seniors Jack Grodahl (CMC) and Christian Mkpado (CMC) also played their final regular season home game for CMS. Grodahl had two three-pointers in the game. 

The CMS defense held Cal Lu to 38 percent shooting and limited the duo of Powdrill and Arik Smith to a combined 22 points. The duo came in averaging 35.5 points per game on the season.

Next up for the Stags is a road game at La Verne on Feb. 24 to close out the regular season.

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